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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. present — the time now
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cap — of ice
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cap — a hat
  15. present — there
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — for betting
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. present — a gift
  21. chip — to eat
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — a lid
  24. stick — a piece of wood

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com